After continued pressure from provincial governments, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed agencies concerned to adjust the federal police force within the framework of the provincial police forces.

Dahal on Wednesday issued a 15-day deadline to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha, other ministers concerned, the chief secretary, home secretary and the head of the Nepal Police to ensure the adjustment is complete by the end of this month.

“The prime minister has directed the ministers and officials to wrap up police adjustment within 15 days,” Govinda Acharya, Dahal’s press advisor, told the Post. “He also asked them to get serious about implementing the federal constitution.”

Dahal, during the meeting with officials, said the performances of the chief ministers and the provincial ministers have been affected by the delay in the adjustment of the police force. For the past few months, the provincial governments led by the Madhesh have been putting pressure on the federal government to adjust the police force and promulgate a federal civil service law without delay.

Earlier, on November 9, a team of all-party representatives from Madhesh Province had issued a 30-day ultimatum to Dahal to address their six-point demand, warning of a protest if Kathmandu took no urgent steps to fully implement constitutional provisions for the smooth functioning of provinces. Dahal had then promised to address the demands by the deadline, saying he would always support the mission to strengthen federalism.

Later, in December, the other six provinces joined forces with Madhesh to assert their constitutional rights. The internal affairs ministers from all the provinces met Dahal and Shrestha last month to build pressure for the adjustment of the police force and to promulgate a federal civil service law.

On December 6, the Madhesh Provincial Assembly unanimously endorsed a resolution motion registered by the CPN-UML which says that provinces should be allowed to exercise all the authorities delegated to them by Schedule 6 of the Constitution of Nepal. An all-party team led by Chief Minister Yadav had presented their resolution before the prime minister on December 10.

Though he had promised to start the adjustment process immediately, it took over a month for Dahal to issue the directive to act to devolve the constitutional authority to the provinces.

For the adjustment, Acharya said Dahal directed the concerned agencies to act as per the Police Personnel Adjustment Act and the Act to Govern the Operation, Supervision and Coordination of Nepal Police and Provincial Police Forces endorsed by Parliament in 2019.

The Police Personnel Adjustment Act authorises the federal government to assign a deputy inspector general of Nepal Police to serve as provincial police chief. The federal government can transfer such police officers to other provinces or any department of the Nepal Police in consultation with the provincial governments concerned.

However, in case of other personnel adjusted to provincial police forces, the relevant provincial official can transfer such personnel to any police unit in the province.

All the provinces have endorsed provincial police laws to clear legal hurdles in managing their own police forces. However, they cannot set up police forces unless the federal government adjusts the existing police force at the provincial level.

An official, who was present while Dahal issued the directive, said the police adjustment had been delayed for two reasons. One, the provinces have authority to manage police officials up to the senior superintendent level while the federal government manages the deputy inspector general and above. Police officials hence see an adjustment into the provincial police as a hindrance to their promotion.

Second, those agreeing to join a provincial police force only get a small increment in their salaries. “The prime minister has directed the home ministry to make the increment more attractive. Also, police officials will now be sent on deputation keeping the door open for now to get back in the federal police,” said the official. “Permanent postings will be done after making necessary amendments to the Acts.”

Once the adjustment is done, the provinces will also start their own recruitment based on their needs.

Provincial governments say they are eagerly waiting for the federal government to act in line with its commitments. “We are waiting to see the results,” Mohammad Samim, home minister in the Madhesh Province, told the Post. “Let's hope the provinces will have their own police forces by the prime minister’s deadline.”